mare nostrum.

make me bad/in between days (the cure + korn)
claps on thunder set against a gunmetal grey sky & a spoonful of tired eyes.

people often ask me 'are you excited to go to columbia?'; alternatively, they might state, as a matter of fact, "oh you must be sooo excited to go to columbia'.

and despite the good intentions behind these queries/statements, i hate it. i hate hearing the words and i hate having to answer.

because i may -and i always do- respond with a 'oh yes of course, im thrilled/filled with anticipation/overjoyed etc. etc.', but this is a thinly-veiled facade.

it's not a lie so much as a half-truth. you see, i am 'excited' but not for the reasons you might be expecting and my inhibitions somehow outweigh those very reasons.

see, im excited to see that bustling cosmopolitan heaven new york city, to visit the famous times square, to see the flashy billboards, to stand outside the trl building, to stroll around central park, to lay some candles at strawberry fields, to shop like crazy at urban outfitters and h&m and macy's and saks fifth avenue, to go to a real american starbucks, to eat a sticky-gooey-yummy candy apple and a monster pizza slice.

and yes, i am excited about university.

i see my friends in nus, in u penn, in nottingham, and i hear the great stories and the wonderfully rich lessons and i am envious. i miss learning. i love learning. and i can't wait to delve into columbia's core curriculum where everything from philosophy to languages to science to history to psychology is taught.

and yet.

and yet, i can't bear to go. i can't bear to leave this life behind. because for the first time in a l o n g time, i am .. happy.

happy and content and blissful.

i love my situation in life, my circumstance. i love waking up and being in a place so familiar, so safe, so welcoming, i love the little things, like the ease and efficiency of the mrt, the wonders of orchard road and the brilliant shopping, the vastness of vivocity, the unending supply of delicious and cheap food, the comfort of knowing that i am home and secure and known. i have an identity, and though it is ultimately separate from my birthplace and my situation, it is still, at one level, inexplicably linked. and after being away for two years, in a place so foreign, fascinating and frightening, i know for a fact that this is home, and that this home and shaped my very being, my very spirit, my very mind.

more than the physical aspect though, here.. i am loved.
and loved by many.

i love my grandparents and their unquestioning, unconditional love for me. despite my frequent breakdowns due to their stifling dependency on me, i nonetheless love the feeling of being needed, of being accepted, of being wanted. and i will miss them tremendously.
and knowing that they'll miss me even MORE.. it's painful.

i love my dad, despite everything, and i will miss his understanding and his open nature.
i love my family. and i will just miss their presence. knowing that no matter what, i have somewhere -not just metaphysical or spiritual.. but- physical to go. open hearts and open arms.

and of course, i love my friends. my dear dear friends, who cannot be replaced.

i know i will meet others, other wonderful people, but my friends here, those are the gems of my heart. the ones who will stay with me, the ones who have known me and walked with me through my lowest and best of days.

i will miss ping, virtually a sister and a loving, loyal friend -i will miss just calling her and having her laugh at my lame jokes and spending time with her chatting about everything and nothing in particular. knowing she's near and rooting for me and believing in me has always bolstered my confidence and my sense of self-worth, my sense of peace within;
i will miss jess, who doesnt scoff at my perceived loneliness but instead, listens to me, confides in me, shops with me, plays poker with me, watches youtube with me etc. etc. i will miss her companionship and the comfort she gives my everyday.

i will miss raj, and his strange jokes and his strange ways, his honesty, his quiet -but unfailing- support, his uprightness and his muted -but everpresent- strength.
i will miss belle, and her brutal frankness, her ambition which inspires me, her drive which comforts me, and her support, which is always so true and so full of feeling (by the way, congrats on the win bella and dude, you reeeally should have won man).
and ill miss the many others who i enjoy spending time with -whether frivolous or serious. the crazyfun mambo nights, the muted starbucks gatherings, the poker or supper sessions, etc. etc. and ill miss those who i know are there, though not often or frequent, but there -to love and to talk with and to cheer on. friends are such a powerful weapon against self-destruction and isolation. and they offer such strength and happiness.

and im also scared of what moving to ny will do to shuch and me. i wont see him as often and we'll be so busy and that frightens me.

i know im so blessed to have him though-
it just occurred to me yesterday just how much he means to me.

i can't seem to function properly without him. when he's far away, i can't sleep, i don't feel myself, i feel frightened and isolated. and when he's near, i feel safe, and comforted and comfortable. i know now that he really does have a part of my heart, a big chunk of it. and that i adore every little bit of him. the warmth of his fuzzy cheeks, the strength of his hands, his ability to make me feel like a princess, a queen -so loved and so precious. the way he can confront me and comfort me in one breath. the way i fit like a puzzle piece in his arms.
i never would have imagined this.
but how lucky i truly am.

and im just afraid that when he's 45 minutes away everyday and despite being so near, he's too far.. i hope i dont miss him too much.

ah. i dont want to seem ungrateful but i am apprehensive.
i want to feel excited but it's hard with all these doubts.

romantic realignments and reckless remember-ings.

silence, save for the gentle hum of the airconditioning.
dark and rainy, with a dash of tummyaches.

after a long, intense night of dinner, yelling and chats with the grandparents, im home and surfing the web rather aimlessly.

i just stumbled upon juli's spanking new blog and i couldnt help but laugh out loud at one of her recent posts. hilariousness. i mean, who can forget those preciously hopeless IJ days.

so. i can't help it. i gotta do this quiz meself (copyright julesthequeendom):

*drumroll* ..presenting : those wonderful (and woeful) IJ dayzzzz.

1. Who did you hang out with?
gawd. in like sec 1, or at least in the beginning of sec 1, i had hardly any friends and i was miserable. i remember i even ate lunch BY MYSELF in the toilet (!) a couple of times (very Mean Girls, i know) because for some reason, most of my friends from primary school had seemed to move on. during that time though, i hung out with sharlene pereira some (she was a distant cousin anyways) and liz nath. but i don't even think i really got to know them til later!

anyways, later in the year and beyond, i was pretty much with the scavengers every chance i could get. there were 'guest' scavengers, of course, who would come and go -people like jasmine fernandez, s****a f**g, etc., but for the most part, it was the 10 of us. as weird a group as you could get. but we had f u n. in a very weird sorta way.

i think the real *sealing* of the scavenger thing was the halloweeeen 'angels and devils' (ahahaha) party at ping's plastic playground place. OH GAWD. that's when i think i really felt integrated into the group. and despite the lameness of it all (okay, FINE.. at the time, i DID think pink sports bras and board shorts and 'spiky' hair were cool(zzz)), i was, as ping might say, "hairpee". i had found a bunch of people as insane as myself.

actually. there was someone else who was equally insane: anne devon. i wonder what happened to her. she was M A D. i loved her. what a blast. she used to call me lumpy or cheesy or something. it was so funny. ANNE, if you can hear me, YOU WERE THE BESTEST PARTNER.

actually my orange partner shijue was quite an awesome partner too. she used to REMIND me to do my homework and clear my pigsty of a locker etc. etc.

2. What sports did you play?
ahahahahahaha. basketball. i don't even want to talk about it. we hardly ever won and i almost never played. and when i did, i sucked. (note: i actually ran my 2.4 in like 11minutes in sec 4. ahh. the 'good ol days')

3. What kind of car did you drive?
dude. i rode the SCHOOL BUS. with my buddies jo teo, pingers and chen min-yi. and then after school, pingers and i would take a bus or something back home.

4. It's Friday night, where were you?
i honestly can't say. but it would've been very likely that i was either a) at macdonalds' after "BBALL" practice, b) at my grandparents house watching the tube, c) at SHAMPU or HENDRIX or some other pathetically lame club with ping/daph/belle, d) hanging out with my MOM... etc.

5. Were you a party animal?
hahahahaha. no, but i sure THOUGHT i was. i mean, ill never forget that very FIRST time we went to a club. SHAMPU. me, daph and ping. the place was awful and oh-so-tiny. but we were so nervous and the whole 'getting in and dancing and drinking' thing was so appealing. i can't really remember the feeling now but i do know i was all excited and feeling all BADASS. hahahahaha.

speaking of BADASS. we ALSO thought wearing our belts at our knees and carrying our bags at our butts and wearing the PINK SKIRT/BELT in school and wearing HAIRBANDS around our necks and tying our hair in multicoloured hairties were BADASS.

6. Were you considered a flirt?
hurhur. well, i DID write apploooong a letter in sec 1 and i WAS pretty "flirty" (in a filthy, smelly sort of way) during the OBS CAMP in sec 3................... ew. i feel so ashamed.

ahahahahaha.

7. Were you in a band?
sadly, unlike jules the cool one, i had no such band to boast of. ALTHOUGH i DID play the drums for my church youth band.. is that counted?!

8. Were you a nerd?
to be frank, i think ive always secretly been a nerd.
i did pretty poorly in my sec 1 and sec 2 exams and since then, ive just been really quite competitive when it comes to work. s a d, i know.
i mean, i remember i used to secretly "compete" with ping, whose grades were always around the same as mine and how i was really disappointed when she came in first in class and i was third. and how i was so miffed when jess got higher points than me in lit! hahahaha. it sounds so stupid and frivolous now, but i guess that's where all my nerdjuice went -secret competitiveness with my smart buddies.
but in sooo many ways, its proven to be a real blessing, cos im still really competitive but healthily so, i think. and anyways im kinda proud to be a nerd now. hurhur.

9. Did you get suspended/ expelled?
no, but i DID get a .. sorta .. 'in-house suspension' thing where i sat in front of the office with NINA. she was really scary. she introduced me to eyebrow razors.
weird.

10. What were the hottest songs among your school mates?
oh my. well, yea we were commercial music-whores. so we liked shit like sum 41 (or at least mori did) and eminem and all other forms of hip-hop.. and of course, we liked the occasional poppy swoony number that would top the charts et cetera . i also harboured a secret love for groups like korn, limp bizkit, marilyn manson and metallica (i thought i was cool) but in my defence, i also listened to nirvana (that's when my fascination began and it's never let up) and DAMIEN RICE in my secondary school days, so that can't be too bad.

11. Who were your fav teachers?
hmm. i really liked ms shanti, my lit teacher, though everyone hated her for some weird reason. i liked jo teo a lot. she was firm but hilarious. she only taught me for a short period but there was just something about her. something very warm about her. mrs alex was awesome too. she was so much fun. and she always used to make fun of poor english-speakers. it was just too great. and mag low too. she was a bit eccentric at times with her perfectly coiffered bangs and her pristine white dresses with matching white stacked heels and her bright crimson lips. and her siiiinging and her perfect english. but again, she was really sweet and good at what she taught. she was often so stern but when she let her guard down and smiled a bit, she looked real purty.

12. Where did you sit during lunch?
anywhere really.

13. What was your school's full name?
Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (Toa Payoh) Secondary.

14. School mascot?
...............mr peewee? hahahaha. i dont know how i just thought of that. WAS THAT HIS NAME BY THE WAY, MR PEEWEE? i doubt it.. right? oh and HE was a good teacher. funny.

15. Did you go to prom?
yea. i CANNOT believe i thought i looked NICE in that HIDEOUS outfit i wore.. sigh. sad state of affairs. although, going to nu asia bar with belle after the awful thing was really nice.

16. If you could go back and do it again, would you?
yea. i have to say.. sec 4 was really one of the best years ive ever had. i do miss it. life was superbly and immaculately simple.

17. What do you remember most about graduation?
...honestly? nothing. was there an actual graduation ceremony? i dont remember..!

18. What was your fav class?
ms shanti's lit class and mrs alex's english class. terrific.
oh and tan bee lay's physics lessons. gawd. how that woman ever became a teacher ill never know. it was funny just trying to write down all the grammatical/pronunciation etc. mistakes she made per class. RAREFACTION.. CLASS HOW TO PRONOUNCE THIS AH?

20. Which was the most memorable place in your school?
i dont know, maybe that primary school playground? it was rumoured to be haunted etc.. and when i was in primary school, i used to go there and pretend the sand was quicksand and that i was sinking... hurhur. and THAT'S the site of the infamous juli-jess-me talk where the "rock", "emotionless" jules .. crumbled. hurhurhurhur.

21. Where did you go most for lunch?
canteen. back in the days when i ate meat, i lurrrrved the first stall's (indian stall i think) mutton thingy with rice. y u m.

22. Have you gained weight since then?
difficult question to answer.
if you're talking about sec 1, when i looked like a BABY WHALE with a DOUBLE CHIN because i used to eat like 4 potatoes (fried as chips and doused in butter and served with a smothering of cheese) for BREAKFAST every morning... then yes, i have.
but if you're talking about the sec 3-early sec 4 days when i was going through my emotional binge/purge eating episodes and my i-will-only-eat-one-slice-of-watermelon-and-raw-nuts diet, then erm sadly no, i am much fatter. : )

23. What did you do after graduation?
lazed around, i reckon. i dont remember.

24. Who was your form teacher?
errrr. ms LER? that very small, very white chinese teacher.. and mr ng. mr hamburglar. i am going to refrain from making fun of him here cos honestly, he's really nice. he's just kinda .. oily?

25. So, i didn't like the last question, so i've replaced it with my own... Last thoughts?
just a few remember-ings: the very strange halloween parties at both ping's place and mine (hmm, questionable we were) -i remember juli and mabel coming and they were in tennis attire, and they claimed they were "zombie tennis players".. before whipping out their osama and ____ masks (i don't remember who the other dude was);
bursting into giggles everytime we walk past tan bee lay cos someone will start singing 'murder on the dance floor';
having to remove the damn eyelashes from the damn sheep's eye i was dissecting;
ping and i deciding when and how to leave the "STAR" (hahahahahahahahahahahah).. i will say nothing more;
musings on where and how mr tan's penis could exist in those amazingly tight pants;
the endless letters and postcards etc. that we'd toil over to say the DUMBEST things;
ping and my first and last "fight", duked out on the steps;
WENDYYYYYY!!!!! (and her love for ping);
guessing whether or not mag low would wear the white dress on wednesday or thursday;
ogling at "HOT" butches;

(continued)

mr raymond "yo-yo-yo"- oh how he hated us. and oh how mag low hated him;
yes, juli's horrible "fall" down the stairs while we haphazardly whizzed down the steps trying to make it on time for assembly AND THEN butchy favorite jaq yip's expression when told that jules couldnt play the upcoming tennis match (oh the horror);
my talks with ping about the growth of the "seed" (hardeehar, i was quite the 'mature' one);
that awful "amazing race"-esque game we played and then jules and min (?) and i witnessing the gross sight of an old man jacking off in the middle of boat quay in the middle of the afternoon (REMEMBER, REMEMBER!);
hearing about the paedophile-like love for LINCOLN (? may be completely wrong here) that tennis kid by mabes and pingers.. and mabel's love for the MGS coach...;
whats-her-face eugenia lee-tan (was that her name.. anyways that awfully-coiffered social studies teacher) who made me cry after calling me immature and etc.;
NEOPRINTS (the days before the photo whoredom of digital cameras);
ashton drawing worms on my desk (cos i was "wormie" for some reason) and me drawing squids on hers (cos she was.. well, "squid");
MY HORRIBLE YOUTH DAY OUTFIT IN SEC 1.. say it together now.. OH MY GAWD.;
teo peng suan slapping my ass and telling me to walk faster around the track during those "morning walks";
trying to "hide" my minute skirt (i can't believe my uniforms were so short.. shameless);
acting "cool" in front of the juniors;
my fascination with van chung's nose piercing;
my horrible 400m sports day race (i was a miserable last, while the trackers like amanda choo etc. whizzed quickly ahead);
van q**y's declaration that she couldnt wear spagetti straps cos she was too "pretty";
van l*m bawling before and after exam papers were released (even tho she always got all As or something stupid);
bio lab and its horrible jars of horrible things (and the many myths surrounding "the foetus");
and many other things that im sure will hit me at a later date : /

:) i heart chij.

4.16.07

new york, i love you but you're bringing me down (lcd soundsystem).
gloom & doom skies with a sprinkle of heart-heavy edginess.

as i sit here in my cushy office chair, tucked neatly into my little lilac and baby pink-walled cubby hole, i can't help but marvel at the sheer selfish simplicity of the human mind.

i mean, after all, i'm stressed out about such silly silly mundane things. like a lack of a plan for my saturday afternoon and the chilli stain i acquired on my brand new white top. i stress about these things and they consume me. they make me feel like screaming 'i hate myself, my life, this day'. when in fact that's only a knee-jerk reaction to my self-absorbed indulgence.

because if i really stopped to think about it, there are far worse things that could happen.

for example, i could be dead. and my angry screams and furious rants could be blaring from news channels, heard by millions. and my twisted face, contorted with rage, could be plastered on newspapers across the country, to be seen -and loathed and feared- by billions.

i could be a murderer. a murderer who would feel such immense self-loathing, such tremendous hatred for the world, such horrifying loneliness due to self-induced isolation, that only the worst gun rampage in US history could match the pain. i could be a psychopath with a gun, who was genuinely ill but who was ignored, who was left to rot in a pool of shame and desperation. so much so that only a massacre would suffice, only a mindless killing could abate the screams within.

or.
i could be one of the 32 innocents dead. completely unaware that going to school on a snow-flecked april morning would be fatal. completely unaware that the years of living -be it as a triple-major student or as a renowned professor- would become infamous ...immortalised... in the moment of sudden death.

or i could be one of the mourners. a lover, a friend, a mother, a father, a child. i could be grieving the loss of part of my heart. my baby, my supporter, my life, my hope. gone in a moment. a shower-of-bullets-fury-and-hatred-and-fear moment. a moment that will change the lives and hearts of too many.

i don't know how i feel about the virginia tech massacre. i don't even know if i have the right to feel anything. how can i feel pity for the murderer, how can i feel anger toward him? how can i truly mourn the loss of those precious lives? how can i make an honest judgement?

all i know is .. i have plenty to be grateful for. and i also know that such a tragedy as this one calls for love, for compassion, for hope -and not for judgement.

i was terribly disturbed when i saw the videos and photos of cho seung hui. what an angry, confused and isolated young man.

i wonder what his parents think. i wonder how they feel.

he was invisible in life but became infamous -and will become feared and hated- in death. what a horrifying thought. what a horrifying cry for attention, for help. what an unfathomably horrific reason for innocent lives to be lost.

remember the dead and pray for their souls and their families (in their honour: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/virginiatech.shootings/victims/index.html)

just as columbine will be remembered -for the lost, for the suffering, for the lessons learned. remember virginia tech. 4/16/07.

rewind.

fat-bottomed girls -queen
rain-soaked clouds and dreary skies, with a dash of sickly-ness & boredom

so. im at office, bored out of my wits .. and im fiddling with my spanking new, shiny black, steamy looking compaq notebook. i've gone on an absolute (wireless) downloading rampage and i've already attained a whopping 19 full albums (including classics like velvet underground's self-entitled album, joy division's substance and kinks' ultimate collection, "evergreen favorites" like the beatles' sgt. pepper album, queen's greatest hits and (shhhh..) blink 182's take off your pants and jacket, new indie/alternrock superstars like bloc party's a weekend in the city, the libertines' self-titled LP, hot chip's the warning and the BRILLIANT album by the streets -the hardest way to make an easy living)... in two afternoons!

that's what i call efficiency.

:)

so in my hazy downloading stupor, i started thinking about those songs.

those songs that get stuck in your head for days on end, those songs that boast being the 'most-played' on your iPod/iTunes, those songs that are both wonderfully good and horribly bad and either way, you can't get enough of. at least for a time.

well, ive had quite a few of those songs in recent years and since they're all so important to me and they all mark a point in my life, i thought id muse about them for a while.

...my 'those songs' (in no particular order)
1) joy division's 'love will tear us apart'
a truly beeeautiful song that was stuck in my head for months and months. i must admit i'm still horribly infatuated with that song. the semi-techie, alterno rhythm and sound, the haunting lyrics and the jolting history of the band itself. what a sort.
2) morrissey's 'there's a light that never goes out'
again, an amazing amazing song. a real classic. with a catchy tune and clever lyrics that make you smile wickedly every time.
3) kinks' 'rosie wont you please come home'
after a while, this song gets a bit old.. but it's a real gem, nonetheless. his lilting voice is just.. gorgeous.
4) hot hot heat's 'talk to me, dance with me'
oh my. when this song first came out, i was absolutely bonkers about it. i used to dance to it, sleep to it, drive to it. it was THE song for ages. infectious and bouncy, this is the perfect song for anyone on speed. the bees knees. but not for the faint-hearted.
5) panic at the disco's 'i write sins, not tragedies'
(see number 4) i love this song and despite the fact that i overplayed it, friends overplayed it, MTV overplayed it and radio overplayed it, ill still sing along happily to it everytime.
6) the killers' 'mr brightside'
a modern day classic. few can say they dislike this song and why should they? definitely a soon-to-be karaoke mainstay.
7) queen's 'killer queen'
i used to replay the song over and over again just to hear the lines: "she keeps moet and chandon in her pretty cabinet. let them eat cake, she said, just like marie antoinette." i mean, how cool is that.
8) sum 41's 'fat lip', eminem's 'slim shady', blink 182's 'dammit', mario's 'let me love you', phantom of the opera's 'phantom of the opera', britney spears' 'slave 4 u', and several several other embarrassing/uncool favorites by boybands, chicks who can't sing, etc.
well. we all have our dirty little secrets.
9) guns and roses' don't you cry
my gawd. what a sobby song. but it's brilliant and it's accompanied me through many tearful nights and shower singing sessions.
(CONTINUED)
10) nickelbacks' how you remind me
goodness. how could i possibly forget. it was sec 3 or 4, we were walking to bio class and jess, ping and i were falling over ourselves singing that bloody song at the top of our lungs while puifun the prefect gave us ghastly looks. its a bloody catchy song and i always sing it at karaoke.
11) coldplay's yellow
crikes. definitely one of the 'songs of the century'. any song that wails 'for you i'd bleed myself dry' is a song worth remembering.
12) kaiser chief's i predict a riot
this song will always remind me of india, for some funny reason. a raucous, hella-good-time song. i love it. WATCHING THE PEOPLE GET LAAAARRY man.

wait. there is a fire.

[anna molly. incubus]

a cloud hangs over,
it's a city by the sea,
i watch the ships pass and wonder if she might be
out there and sober as a well for loneliness
please do persist
it's time we met and made a mess.
wait.
there is a light
there is a fire
defragment dreams the attic
fate or something better
i couldn't care less
just stay with me a while.

im content and comfortable in the life ive chosen. i no longer feel the need to justify or explain where ive been, what im doing or what i intend to do. i no longer have the insatiable desire to impress or find validation in the words, actions or judgements of others. i am happy in my routine, in the presumably mundane existence that is my life, in the somewhat carefree/detached emotional state that im in.

i enjoy my work for the most part and i find fulfillment in my past achievements (both academic and otherwise) and the achievements i know are lying ahead. i am excited about my upcoming time in a university and a city and a country that i know will challenge and develop me. i love just sitting with shuch watching tv or reading books while he plays with his psp (i.e. the 'infernal machine'); i love just knowing that he's there, around, with me... both of us enmeshed in a love that's deep and raw and ever-changing but ever-firm; i love lounging in bed for hours at a time, doing nothing in particular but just enjoying times of rest and quiet; i love meeting with my friends on a somewhat regular basis: ping, to chat about life and love and gossip and emotional well-being; jess, to shop like headless maniacs, to eat like paupers and to joke about the stupidest things on the planet; and the once-in-a-while meetings with raj and the guys, anna, sheenum and charlotte, and of course, the 'mambo' and/or poker group like aude, cliff, bryan, jianhui, chuin etc.. for the mindless chatter and 'wild' nights out.

i love having my 'downtime'. the time to online-shop for no reason, the time to exercise like a crazy person, the time to take korean lessons, the time to have coffee at starbucks by myself, the time to take unreasonably long and unhealthily piping-hot showers, the time to watch (and adore) american idol, among others.

i love being able to appreciate my family. to really, for the first time in my life, realise that i l o v e them. not out of obligation or filial piety, but out of true blue affection. they are my companions, my friends, my family- i enjoy (well, for the most part) their company and i revel in the unconditional, forgiving, gentle love they offer me. i am blessed and i love having the time and chance to recognise that... and to do something about it.

i feel that for once in my life, im not trying to prove anything, im not necessarily trying to get anywhere -be it the social, acadmeic or professional ladder, im not trying to anything more than i am already.

and yet.
despite my happiness, despite my contentment, despite my self-assurance, there's something amiss. and that something emerges at the most random of times. times when i feel purposeless, when i wonder about my position in my life, when i wonder about death and i wonder about transition, change and metamophism. i can't pinpoint what that feeling (?) is. i can't tell you where it stems from or why it's there. but it rears its ugly head every now and then and it's extremely disconcerting.

sometimes i think it's cos of God. not God causing this discomfort but it's the lack of spiritual development that's triggering all this.. almost like -im becoming too 'worldly'/too stagnant spiritually. and that would be a fact. i know what i believe but it's like i turn to a higher power when my own power runs dry, when i am helpless and emotionally and physically empty. and maybe you can't do that. actually i know you can't do that. i know that there's only so much fulfillment that you derive from this life and it'll never be quite enough . yet we feel like it is.

i also think it might be something else. but again, i don't know what it is. i can only speculate: fear of change, fear of failure, fear of disillusionment.. or maybe it's something much worse: maybe im lulling myself into a false sense of security.. or maybe my comfort doesn't really exist or perhaps, can't exist?

i don't know exactly.
but ill take it all with a pinch of salt.
ill enjoy what i have, when i can. and deal with the rest in a Tao-ist manner.
everything is
and everything isn't.

(i'll crawl to your name
i'll bend to the earth.)

forbidden snowflake.

proper education- pink floyd a la traance.
[temperamental weather with a toothache and monday blues]

i was reading ping's blog and in one post, i was named as a 'blogspotter'. it stumped me for a while, until it finally dawned on me that.. well, i have a blog! hur. as ping and belle rightly prophesied, i am not a loyal blogger and as it's evident, it's been a while.

well i can't say that life has been uneventful but there's little to say. the day of hallmark love and the days of lo-hei, family visits and packets of money have passed, lots of movies have been watched, a leg muscle has been pulled and a wisdom tooth is emerging (which i think explains the toothache/gumache i have at the moment) . i've had really nice days catching up with ping and raj and jess and belle, and really warm fuzzy days of lounging with shuch, and really comfortable days of hanging around with my family members.

work has been good- i just got my set of namecards today and it's occurred to me what a big task i have at hand. building a magazine from scratch (and all the work, organisation and effort that underlies it), on top of the freelance stuff ive been doing for sph, has been a tougher journey than i had anticipated. but it's been exciting. everyday, new challenges are tossed my way . and it's been a real learning curve of growth and plenty of mistakes.

i've watched some really stellar movies- like babel, and apocalypto, and what's eating gilbert grape, and pan's labyrinth.. and some entertaining movies- like death rider, and rocky balboa, and a scanner darkly. i've been enjoying some really great bodycombat classes -with the trance-y music and the oomphs and ughs and sweaty arms and forehead. i really feel more confident, more empowered, stronger.

in the midst of all the good, there's been some bad. not bad necessarily, but lots of emo feelings and miserable thoughts. i've been plagued by long dreams of twisting plots and strange people and ideas. and i've been troubled with thoughts of leaving behind my family, of regret, of loss and of a lack of purpose. sometimes i think my thoughts and musings are unfounded, but then again there are many times when i can't shake the feeling that something is amiss.

ive always told myself that i will live without regret. and i have, for the most part.

but i feel that i now have a regret that i can't shake, that i can't ignore. and it's a regret that i can't reconcile, that i can't face without crumbling into a heap of tears. it's my grandpa. my wonderful grandpa. who i know ive been speaking of a lot but i can't help it- there just hasn't been any closure. i miss him. especially during the holidays. and there are just so many things i wish i had said to him, so many things i wish i had showed him, so many things i wish he could have witnessed. and it's the regret that i didn't do enough, say enough, give enough, that drives me mad.

im grateful, so grateful, for shuch though- my heart and my strength. he keeps me solid and unwavering, due to his solidity and composure. and i know ill be just fine. just fine.

anyways the office is freezing and im bloody bored and i can't wait to just get out and do something else.

something else.

musings and busy-ness.

well this week has been l o n g.
with my new exercise get-fit regime, korean class and plentiful workload, ive been stretched in directions that i didn't know exist. this week, shuch's grandaunt passed away so we've been spending a lot of time at the wake and on top of that, shuchie injured his collarbone while playing rugby so we've even made trips to the hospital.
quite an eventful week if anything.
and. ive lost 3lbs.
quite a feat!

despite the packed schedule, however, ive been enjoying myself quite immensely. ive settled into a comfortable -albeit ever-changing- 'routine', exercise in the mornings, work in the afternoons, shuch in the evenings, korean class on thursdays and jess on wednesdays. and other things in between. i like work. amazing, yes i know. but i feel fulfilled, it's really one of the biggest accomplishments of my life i think- bringing an entire magazine together. it is extremely gratifying.

going off tangent a bit, i miss grandpa a lot. being at a wake almost everyday this week has triggered a memory that lays dormant in my heart. i miss him, still can't believe his gone. i can still remember the feel of his thick, rough fingers, his toothy, cheeky grin, his round, tough belly and his delicious, fat pancakes. he's with me everyday, everywhere i go. but he's so far away, i miss his eyes, his shouts, his hugs.

ul ji ma-ra ul geen weh oo rar. (don't cry, why are you crying?) -one of grandpa's favorite karaoke hits.

oh, what became of the likely lads.

music when the lights go out- the libertines
erratic, crazy rain/drizzle/downpour/clear skies with grumpiness aplenty.

well, it's been a sick, sick, sick kinda week. i've been ensconced in bed for the better part of the last few days, nursing a terrible, wracking cough, a sniffly nose and a throbbing head. but alas, that's part of the monsoon ain't it? how could you go thru it without a flu? that'd just be weird.

it hasn't been a complete loss however. i have rediscovered the joy of sleep and watching tv. it's brilliant- couch-potato-dom suits me.

my only really 'busy' day this week was wednesday. met jess and her australian cousin. poor bloke, we dragged him around town while we shopped and gabbed . but it sure was nice to get out of the house ! i did do a couple of worthwhile things (other than sitting at starbacks and squealing when pigeons approached).. i signed up for my california fitness gym membership! my first day is monday when i head down at... (shudder) 9.30am.. for my personal training session! it was quite daunting.. the whole experience.. the funny machines, the frighteningly large biceps and the copious amounts of sweat.. not the mention the wake-up call that i am really really really very unfit ! but it's good, walked outta there feeling a tad excited and a smidge pumped !
after that, i signed up for my korean classes. whee. starts on thursday. not toooo thrilled to be honest, but im sure it'll be good for me .

yawn. i start work with mark on monday. yawn. 4 times a week, noon-6pm. can't be too bad i reckon but im so sick and tired of work and this week of extreme decadence has just been too lovely. yawn. anyways the first edition of crave is finally out. good stuff. i hope it's received well, it'd be neat to see this project grow.

anyways, i am currently swooning (as usual) over my lovely pete doherty. i must say, he is so fine. (as is his steamy wife.. lucky bastards, the both of 'em).

for musical enlightenment and true swoonworthy moments, go to: http://youtube.com/watch?v=un_OAD8Y7FQ

inconceivable.

you're just too good to be true -mambo style
downpour with a dash of melancholy

this weekend has been a slow, morose one. ive been feeling so poorly and shuch has been in the deepest doldrums. so all in all it's been a silent, sick and stupor-filled 3 days. ah well. at least the weather seems to be commisserating.

i must say though that sleep is really so very delicious and gratifying. i must have slept a grand total of 30 hours over the past couple of days and it's been terrific. im lolling around like a slug now -the aftermath of lethargy- but it was worth it i think.

anyways. shuch has finally got his com up and running and the photos of yesteryear have finally surfaced from his long-abandoned camera. here's a recap of the past year in a nutshell eh?

when the romance first began. hanyang's birthday bash at shuch's place:

an unlikely pairing (can't remember where this was):

pinky and i both looking raaather ravishing:
k well some things don't change (hur. although ping looks pretty good here, i look.. well, there's much to be desired):
now this is the new life. the yesterdays:
our goodbye to scotts. a representation of IJ-life and scavengerdom gone forever: goodbye 2006 (new years' eve night 2006):
and our newfound 'mature' passion to bring in our 20th year, chess (which shuch keeps beating me at. tch):

way back then.

ok. i know this is going to sound painfully daft but i only JUST figured out how to work out the whole tagged on facebook thing. anyways. i was looking thru the photos and i found this:

alina, ex-classmate of mine from the british school and brilliant art student, tagged me... and i wondered why.. and i looked. it's ME! shocking. i'm the subject for one of her college art pieces. isn't that just so odd... it looks really cool though eh? very fancy. hurhur.

i'm in another one!:

i'm in the stupid one with my tongue sticking out, alina's the one at the end, in front of the pink facade.

anyway it got me thinking.. india seems ages away now....:

(basketball team, that's me on the extreme left, second row)

and the person i was seems like a distant memory:

byebye sph.

lights -scissor sisters
overcast and stormy with a cough and poofy eyes

it's 6pm and im here at my desk, suddenly clean of the piles of papers and books that once adorned it. 5 months and 8 days have passed and now it's time to leave. SPH has been good to me.. it's provided me with opportunities both vast and great, and has molded me into a better, more responsible, more knowledgeable person.

i just went to see 'big boss' ivan. he's not a dominating man in appearance but he exudes this firm calm that intimidates and demands respect. i've never spoken to him before. i didn't even know where his office was! but he invited me for a chat, so i went. we talked about all sorts of random things, i think i was slightly nervous or something because i just kept rambling and going completely off-tangent time and again. but he said more than once that i have talent, that i've been exceptional, that ive left my mark and ive contributed much to the paper. it was really quite something hearing all this from the big man himself. he told me that i have an instinct for writing that will get me far. after about a half hour, he shook my hand and wished me the best. before leaving tho, he said this:

"trust your instinct. it's underrated, but it's the most powerful tool you have."

beware of earthquakes.

ashtray girl- placebo
overcast skies, persistent drizzle and a persistent headcold.




whilst scanning the web for photos of kate, who i adore ( i know it's sad having a celebrity fascination/obsession etc. but she's just divine. she's beautiful -okay, fine she's just so H.A.W.T- and there's something amiss about her. a darkness about her. her addictions, her sad eyes, her accent that is incongruous with her pretty face. her marriage to my other love, pete. she's my epitome of dark beauty, haunted beauty, real beauty. ahh. the vicarious living of an 'obsessed' fan. hur.), i found this gorgeous shot and had to reveal it to the world.

anyway. mambo last night was mambo last night. same ol' things, really. a flaming (that fucking burns burns burns) and some glugs of beer later, it was of to the dancefloor to some swashbuckling, groovy tunes (hur. let's speak in the retro way out of reverence for mambo, eh?) like love in the first degree, that thing you do, leave a light on for me etc., and some eyebrow-raising ones -like the very strange addition of 'if you're happy and you know it, clap your hands'. as jess rightly put it, the night seemed to be taking an irreparable turn for the worse at that point. but it was fun, as always, to ogle at the mambo-ers on the podium and try -oftentimes ending in futile defeat- to copy the moves with the same grace and poise. even though i probably look like a flailing chimpanzee on the dancefloor, it's really a different experience when the music plays and you lose yourself in it. it's stupid at one level and childish at another, but it's liberating i tell you. the cheesiness of it all.

but today, upon awaking (groggy, panda-eyed and with hair like a mass of tangled weeds), i felt somehow unhinged. strange, it was. it was just something about the whole experience last night (an experience i've relived time and time again but i just haven't seemed to get used to it). the whole social construct. the partying, the flirting, the fishing for compliments. the judgement, the silent criticism, the constant need to prove one's worth/popularity/level of accomplishment or beauty or personality. it leaves me feeling uncomfortable and edgy. a sort of upheaval of the soul, a drifting away from personal beliefs and self-confidence and sense of self-worth. a lot of things suffer and fade when you allow your life to be scrutinised under society's microscope. i don't think it can be avoided or ignored. and i think that for most people, there's always a phase -sometimes short, sometimes lasting a lifetime- when all this happens. for me, it was the indian experience. the social ladder climbing, the caring of what other people thought and felt, the maintainance of a certain facade at all times and in all settings. it was exhausting and at the time, seemingly fulfilling. but when i left, i found that i had taken away nothing from the experience. nothing worth knowing except the knowledge that i would avoid, with all my heart, that road again.

but the road is always near. it's always just a left turn or a right turn away. a step, a trip, a fall. it's just as far away as you think it is. it's just as far away from you as your own shadow. i'm not sure how i feel about the whole thing and to be honest, i don't think ill understand what i'm saying when i re-read what ive written. but in my heart, i know. but i don't know what to do.

why do we care when actually don't care at all?

or is that the misconception that needs to be rectified?

..what's wrong with this picture?

p.s. by the way, some photos are in! courtesy of jess/aude/vick:

it all started when jess and i met for dinner:

then, the real shit began:
lots of five-ten

lots of cigarettes

and girl shtuff
oh and of course, the inevitable.. ugly faces:

jostling for another shot.

cigarette smoke (yea cigarette smoke in your eye) -arctic monkeys
clear skies and a heavy heart

i have this perpetual flu that will not go away. for the past fortnight, i awake every single morning with a stuffed nose and a stuffed head and it's infuriating. im so absurdly frightened that im going to follow the footsteps of my family members (i.e. my mom) and become sinusibeasts (i.e. people who are riddled with sinus problems and who end up making unflattering and somtimes, downright scary, noises every once in a while in the attempt to .. clear one's nose, clear one's throat, etc. etc.).

anyways on other things, today i had sumptious lunch at this new french salad/sandwich bar. im not sure what it's called exactly but i know it had the word 'french' in its name and its located on the first floor in vivo city (not that those details will really help you find the place in that behemoth of a mall). i had an italianne salad (rocket, mozzarella bits, fresh mushrooms, olives etc.) and it was super good and super huge! with rustic rye bread. mmm. it was really delish and not too expensive and it makes you feel good to eat something soo healthy once in a bit. two french dudes -reeeal frenchies- run the place and chat with customers in this genial, french manner. nice guys. it was funny cos one of the french dudes was scowling at the very idea of delifrance... 'it's disgusting', he said, 'nothing bloody french about it.' oh well. i quite like delifrance to be honest. i guess im not really a gourmet/connoisseur or anything. haha, bring on the "croissants" !

mambo tonight, after the usual dinner / scavenging meal with jess. im quite excited about mambo -esp since i haven't been in flippin ages. but at the same time, im afraid that the inevitable will happen....

see, based on past experience, it will all begin like this:

then, there will be a gradual disintegration... to this:


then this:




and finally, if all goes well/badly.. this:
sigh. and you can only imagine how i look when i come to work the next day. a bit like a cross between dead pete doherty and a retarded panda bear.

i know im quitting soon and everything but i can't help but feel stressed! there's just so much i "think" i need to do. like fill in my evaluation (which i could probably finish in 15 minutes but which has taken me 3 days thus far), do my checklist (which, again, i could probably finish in 15 minutes but im too lazy to do), pack up my desk (a bit more tricky.... you should see it.. it's appalling) and.. and... well that's about it. it WILL be weird not having to come to office everyday though. it sounds daft but ill miss the coldness of the aircon, the company of busy colleagues and the familiar sight of a computer that is always on and always works (sigh. no more computer usage till i get a laptop man... unless you count shuch's com, which i -granted- use very often. hurhur).

another thing- my granddad fell on monday.. low blood sugar. and he didn't tell anyone! gawd. i tell you. what do you say/do to/for someone like that. shocking. and horrifying at the same time.

the words of a journalist.

with my time at sph drawing to an abrupt end, i leave with a full heart and a dash of sadness. on friday i have to submit an evaluation form. detailing what i have learned etc. from this experience.

here's a snippet of it:

Journalism, as a career, has always appealed to me. As a pre-pubescent adolescent, I used to follow the illustrious career of Christine Amanpour on CNN and I yearned for her job and her place in the world. I thought being a journalist meant actively being a bridge that connects the public with the important news of the world -large-scale disaster, war, financial crises and all those other earth-shattering tragedies that often shake the globe.

After my stint at The New Paper, I've realised that being a journalist entails much much more than just that. Prior to this internship, I had only been interested in world news, 'big' news, news that I thought would be impactful to a majority of people. Local news, on the other hand, was irrelevant in my opinion -too insignificant in the big scheme of things. I had also seen journalism as a career that was both glamorous and dangerous, one in which fame would be easily sought and where one's voice would be easily heard.

I realise now, however, that journalism is not a job for the weak, the self-indulgent, the narrow-minded or the fame-seeking. It's not merely a job, but a vocation, where there is a deep-rooted responsibility to one's colleagues and to the public who read and trust what you've written. It's an immense responsibility, one that entails great integrity, thorough knowledge and a drive for excellence. This drive also means a great amount of personal sacrifice. I knew journalism was not a simple career but I never really appreciated the full extent of it. Journalism is a vocation that requires time, plenty of effort and lots of heart. At times, it also requires you to grapple with your self-confidence and with difficult characters and personalities -both newsmakers and colleagues alike. As a journalist, you are constantly pushing yourself -for greater stories, for better writing abilities, for more attuned interview skills, for more passion and drive, etc. It's a learning journey, one which is speckled with a vast array of characters and personalities, difficulties and triumphs.

More than anything, I have finally witnessed and experienced the significance of what I once deemed 'small' news. At The New Paper, where a majority of the news stories are local news stories, my eyes were opened to how local news is tremendously important to a great many people. I saw how certain stories impacted the public in ways I would never have imagined possible. I met with newsmakers who had stories to share that surpassed any of my preconceived expectations. I realised that local news matters and is no less important, or less significant, than the 'big' news that I was previously so keen to write about.

In many ways, it was a humbling realisation. One that made me proud to be Singaporean, to be a Singaporean journalist, who can see big things in what to the naked eye seems insignificant. I think many journalists, particularly those that report for the big news channels and agencies, forget how important local news is to local people. Big news shapes the world, that is true undoubtedly; but it is the small news that shapes a person, that shapes a culture, that shapes an identity -particularly in a small place like Singapore.

During my time at SPH, I have had the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life -many of whom I never would have come across had I not taken this internship. My eyes were opened to the underbelly of Singapore society, to the heartache behind the otherwise perfect facade of our little country.

I feel I've grown tremendously as a person through this interaction and this experience; I feel I'm more open, more inquisitive, more informed and most importantly, more interested in the plights and triumphs of the people around me. Everyone, I've found, has a story to tell. It's just whether or not you have the time, patience, humility or drive to not just listen, but to really hear what they have to say.

All in all, I've learned a tremendous deal, both at a personal and professional level. Personally, I've grown in my understanding of myself and I've gained great insight into the workings of a human being -in times of joy, in times of grief and everything in between. Professionally, my eyes have been opened to the reality of a journalist's life- the difficulties and the long hours, the emotional connection with newsmakers and the triumphs in getting a great scoop. More than anything, I now know for a fact that journalists are truly the bridges that connect the public to information they otherwise would not have known -but this information is not necessarily the big news on earthquakes and wars, it can also be the local news -the news that gives a people its heart.

Because of this incredible, eye-opening experience, I know for a fact that I want to be a journalist. I know for a fact that this is my calling.

Hello, Goodbye .

my music at work -the tragically hip
bloody hot with a bout of hyperactive allergies and a swelling eye

the whole 'life is too short' cliche may be overused to the point of having become meaningless, but once in a while, something nips you in the ass to remind you of the resounding truth behind the simple -though oftentimes arcane- phrase.

sheenum just returned from delhi bearing the burden of trauma and loss. early in the morning on boxing day, pankaj passed away after being asphyxiated while asleep. his laptop short-circuited and his mattress caught on fire. pankaj was the epitome of vivacity. i only met him a couple of times but he's a hard character to forget. his crazy driving and road rage, his bat in the boot, his long hair and his hat, his wacky -but talented- guitar playing, his laid-back humor, his white socks and battered nike shoes which he gave away on the street to some random dude. it wasn't his time. at least not to the naked eye, but he was taken, for some reason unknown and now he's gone and will be missed by many.

a few days later, sheenum's friend, megna, a beautiful young thing, was in a horrific car accident on the noida highway. the driver died, megna lost an eye and her face was smashed beyond recognition and the other people in the car were also injured severely. thank God she's alive and well, but her life won't ever be the same. everything shifted in a turn of the steering wheel.

i can't imagine what sheenum's going through. but im sure it must be as close to hell as one can imagine here on earth. tragedy makes us see our true vulnerability but it can also make us frightened of life.

in comparison, what im about to say next seems extremely hollow. but it is linked.

too often, we forget to live while we're alive. we forget to appreciate the people we love and the opportunities that we're presented with. we forget to thank God every morning for the gift that we have, our breath, our existence, our chance.

this year, as ive said before, is a going to be a year of self-discovery, of self-love. and things just keep happening and popping up and confirming that i really need to remember that, hold on to that.

ive decided to quit my job here. im done. it's been terrific but im done. my last day is friday, the 12th.

after that, i am gonna pursue my aim. im gonna take korean lessons (so i can finally learn to read and write.. i really am a sad excuse for a korean!) and driving lessons (i think singapore roads will be easier to stomach after the india fiasco) and kick-boxing/yoga lessons at california (it's time to get fit, get strong and get rid of my insecurities).

there's so much disaster all around us (hell, just turn on the news and witness the madrid bombing, the saddam hanging, the tornado that wrecked the lives of hundreds in the US and you'll see the bigger picture). i guess there's no point dwelling on fact. it's all about moving forward and moving upward and finding peace in whatever we can.

i love online shopping.

my new passion, the brilliant invention of man that allows one and all to shop in the privacy of one's own comfortable sofa, bed, chair etc.

it's brilliant i tell you.

my latest fetish is skinny jeans. and oh what a fetish. over the last 2 months, i have attained 4 pairs from some of the more illustrious skinny jeans makers! oh i am a star.

1) lux drainpipes (my current favorite!)

2) true religion stella big t skinnies
3) abercrombie erin destroyed skinnies

4)

and... what i'm gonna collect tomorrow... tsubi super skinnies in squwark rinse


(which i think is gonna become my next 'current favorite'.. based on the exhorbitant price and the cute crosses on the back pocket.. hur)
I was supposed to add a sass & bide whisper to a shadow skinnies which i had bought over yahoo! auctions (i.e. my haven of luxury and indulgence!):

i mean for heaven sakes, my dreamy kate wears them!

buuuuut after i paid and everything, the seller said she can't get stocks! oh the disappointment, ah well. all's fair in love and skinny jeans i guess.

it is true that ebay/yahoo! auctions has lost me a shitload of money. but NOW, im getting mine back. hurhur. i have started selling ! it's quite exciting really. no one's bought anything yet (well i only put them up yesterday, to my defense !) but im really thrilled by the whole prospect of this making money through selling clothes/things i will never wear/use. ingenious.

good cheer this happy new year?

Letting the cables sleep- Bush
Clear skies with a stuffed, snivelly nose

Happy New Year, Auld Lang Syne and all that festive jazz.

2006 was really quite something of a year, both good and bad in equal measure, both heartbreaking and triumphant in quite the same wrenching, wretched way. im glad it's over, but with that finality and closure, i witness the death of a very crucial phase of my life. it's not a phase i will greatly miss, but it is one that i know will -whether known or unbeknownst- creep into my existence every once in a while, for a long time to come.

well, i dont quite remember how 2006 began. i do remember that shuch and i crossed the bridge from 2005 to 6 at fullerton hotel, both of us flush with the passion and innocence of new, smoldering love and affection.

the rest of those early months are -for the most part- a blur.. i returned to india and pursued a life of confusion. the drugs were long-gone but only a recent memory that still haunted and stuck, the friends were as empty as their eyes betrayed them to be, the home that was like hell on earth- a place i loathed and winced from, where i had to hide my every emotion and vice, sobbing on the floor in the bathroom and smoking at 4am crouched low on the balcony.

a car crash, a wonderful trip back to singapore, several school commitments and countless wild parties later, it was may and my birthday passed with tears and disappointment. the only things that sustained me those last couple months in india was the knowledge that i had someone who loved me and was waiting for me at home, and the daily drives i took with my mom or adi which allowed me a snatch of escape amidst the dusty streets, the burly lorries and the wandering cows.

the As were quite something. cups and cups of espresso just before the exams, just to stave away the droopy eyes and blank brain that came with a lack of sleep and too much information. i knew i could achieve and that i had to, but at times, i wondered if my self-confidence in my intellectual abilities was really just a marred facade of extreme complacency. over a month long and thoroughly exhausting, but before i could say 'napoleon', the whole rigamaroll was over. 12 years of education finished with the swirl of a pen.

i was actually sad when i left. sad that i had so little to take with me after the two dreary years. i had won countless awards, had really shone like i never had in school and in school-related activities, had been involved in everything i was capable of, had made a large number of friends, had really achieved anything and everything i had aimed for when i left singapore for that gargantuan, strange land. but, on that last day, it all came down to naught. the achievements, the involvements -for me, they were just ways to pass the long hours, ways to attain some sort of false fulfillment. i hadn't made any lasting, deep-rooted relationships with anyone in school and the sense that i had escaped singapore for nothing throttled me at the very root of my person.

back to singapore. what a rush of feeling. shuch, the scavengers, friends and family who matter, who love, who care. roti prata and mrt, taka and starbucks. you don't know how much these little details mean till you're devoid of them. i must have eaten prata every day for a month after i returned. mm.

jahanavi visits and the last vestige of any (misplaced) hope of British School friendships die with my death of affection for her. a couple months on, our friendship was officially over -very primary school-style- and for the first time since my childhood days, i had properly lost a friend.

hospitalised for UTI. was on the drip for 5 days. it was wretched. realised that i was a true-blue nicotine addict and a claustrophobe when it comes to the stark white walls of the hospital.

4 As for A levels and a job opportunity as a journalist (my life-long dream) at The New Paper. things were looking up. got into columbia university and was offered $44,000 in financial aid. things were really looking up.

amidst all this was mambo and ebay/yahoo!auctions shopping, spending long days and nights with my love, eating crackers and tomato at jess', catching up with old friends and remembering old times. it's really been a good 6 months.

but despite all that, at one level, i've lost my zest, my drive for life. my love and passion for the small things. the joy that makes every day a blast and one worth remembering. i don't know how it slipped away but it has and i want it back. next year. this year. i will get it back.

2006 ended with me being squashed on all sides and being sprayed by that infuriating foam. i was grumbling secretly in my head and wishing my toes weren't so swollen beneath the straps of the infuriatingly high high-heels. i was infuriated and i must have been quite infuriating for shuch, who was attempting to have a good time. but that was last year. last year, it was possible to be angry and irritated and narrow-minded. this year, i want to party, to love, to learn, to grow. it's all about self-discovery, baby.

bring it.